Lock disk for timing systems



Aug. 13, 1946. A. L. DI INNISTON ET AL 2,

' LOCK DISK F611 TIMING sYs TEM S Original Filed Feb; 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. ADOLPH L. DENNIS TON 5A MUEL. HAPOLO MART/N A TTORNEY.

Aug. 13, 1946. A. L. DENNIST-ON ETAL ,4

LOCK DISK FOR TIMING SYSTEMS.

Original Filed Feb. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTORS. ADOLPH L. DEN/W5 ro/v SAMUEL HAROLD WET/N ,ATTORNEK,

Patented Aug. 13, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOCK DISK FOR TIMING SYSTEMS Adolph L. Denniston, Plainfield, N. J and Samuel Harold Martin, Thomaston, Conn., assignors to General Time Instruments Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application February 26, 1942, Serial No. 432,386. Divided and this application March 6, 1944, Serial No. 525,222

3' Claims. (Cl. 74-526) 1 2 This invention relates to provements in secbeing made up of a plurality of laminations which ondary apparatus for time systems and particare held together by means of the two yokeularly to an improved corrective mechanism for shaped plates 25. The yoke-shaped plates 25' are time recorders operated in circuit with a master provided with suitable lugs 28 which engage the clock. to and bottom laminations, and rivets 29 serve This application is a division of our co-pendto hold the assembly together. Rigidity is iming application, Serial No. 432,386, filed February parted to the assembly by means of the tie rod 26, 1942, and is directed to the novel locking disk 21 which passes through and is secured to' each for the corrective secondary mechanism disclosed of the plates 25. A shaft 30 is J'ournalled in the and Claimed in Said pplication. side plates and I6, and the yoke-shaped plates.

With reference now to the drawings in which or armature holders 25 are secured to the shaft likenumerals designate like parts 36. Both the shaft 30 and the tie rod 21 are Fig. 1 is an elevation of the secondary mechextended through plate IS, the plate being proanism of a job time recorder which constitutes vided with a suitable slot 3! to permit rotation a preferred embodiment of this invention. Cer- 15 of the armature assembly.

tain parts of the mechanism are broken away Mounted on the shaft 30 and the tie rod 21 for the purposes of clarity; exteriorly' of the plate I6 is an arm 32 which Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown carries at one end a pawl 33. A ratchet wheel in Fig. 1: 34 is mounted on a shaft 35 which is journalled Fig. 3 is an elevation of the time disk, shown in the side plates l5 and I6, and ratchet wheel in Figs. 1 and 2, the time disk being adjusted being disposed exteriorly of the plate |6 so that forahalf hour cut-out period; it maybe engaged by the pawl 33. A gear 36 Fig. 4 is an elevation of the time disk which is secured to the shaft 35' which meshes with has been adjusted for a forty-five minute cut-out another gear 38"mounted on a shaft 31. The

period; latter shaft is j ournalled in the side plates l5 Fig. 5 is an elevation of the time disk as shown and H5 and is disposed immediately beneath the in Fig. 4, but in a changed position; shaft 35. A plurality of type wheels, which are Fig. 6 is an elevation of the time disk which generally designated by the reference numeral 39 has been adjusted for two forty-five minute cutare mounted on the shaft 31. out periods; A spring 40 extends between the pawl 33 and Fig. '7 is an elevation of the time disk as shown the arm 32 and serves to urge the pawl into enin Fig. 6 in changed position; gagement with the ratchet wheel 34. A locking Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the time disk pawl is also provided for cooperation with the taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 3; ratchet wheel, the lo'cking'p-awl being-mounted'on Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken a pin 42 which extends inwardly from a plate along line 9-9 of Fig. 5; 43. The plate 43, which is partially broken away Fig. 10 is a section taken along line l0-l0' of in Fig. 1, may be suitably secured with respect and to the plate l6 by spacer means not shown herein. Fig. 11 is a section similar to that shown in One end of a spring 44' engages the locking pawl Fig. 10 with the parts in changed position. M and the other end is secured to the'plate 43,

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference so that the locking pawl will be urged against numerals l5 and I6 designate two plates on which the ratchet wheel. An operating spring 58 is the secondary mechanism is mounted, these plates provided for the armature assembly, one end of being held in spaced relationship to each other the spring engaging the arm 32, and the other y means of spacers I 7. Two coils, I 8- and I9, 45 end bein affixed to the plate 43.

which constitute an electromagnet, are suitably In operation it will be seen that when the coils mounted with respect to the side plates 15 and I8 and I9 are energized, that the armature asl6, the coils being provided with pole pieces 20 semb ly, comprising the armature 24, the yokeand 2|. An intermediate plate 22 is disposed besha ed plates Z5; and'the arm 32, will be rocked tween the side plates l5 and l6, and extends bein the counter-clockwise direction, as shown in tween the coils l8 and [9, this plate 22 being Fig. 1. against the tension of'the operating spring suitably mounted with respect to plate I5 by 5.8; This causesthe pawl 33 to be drawn over spacers 23 as shown in Fig. 2. one teeth 01- the fifteen tooth ratchet wheel 34.

An armature 24 is provided for cooperation When the coils l8 and I!) are deenergized, the with the pole pieces 20 and 21, the armature operating sprin 58 causes rotation of the sembly in a clockwise direction, thereby rotating minute, it will be seen that the ratchet wheel 34 is driven thereby at a speed of four revolutions per hour. The gears 36 and 38' are so proportioned that the shaft 31 upon which the type wheels 39 are mounted, is caused tov rotate at. a

speed of ten revolutions per hour.

A rock shaft 45 is suitably journalled in the side plates is and I6, and a plate 45 is suitably mounted on the rock shaft bymeansofahub '41. A small permanent magnet 48, in the shape of a horseshoe, is secured to the plate 46 by means of a small overlying plate 49, and aiscrew 50 which takes into the plate 46. A plurality of pins 56 project-from the surface of the-plate 46 and engage the permanent magnet 48 to hold it ina predetermined position with respect to the plate46;

A strip of magnetic material 51 is. secured to the intermediate plate: 22 as 'shown in Fig. :2, one end 52 of said strip embracing: the pole piece 20, and the other end of-said strip being bent over to form an auxiliary pole piece 53. This auxiliarypole piece extends-between the north and south poles S t-and 55- respectively, of the permanent magnet 48:

The coils-l8 and l9-are so wound. that when energized by a current-of-normal polarity the pole piece 20 is the south pole, and the-pole piece 2| isthe north pole Thus,- the permanent magnetis norm-ally in the position as shown in Fig. wherein. the north pole 54 01? the permanent magnet 48'- isattracted by the pole piece 53. However, when the coils. l 8 and I 9* are energized by'a current of reversedpolarity, it will be seen that the: pole" piece 20" and the auxiliary pole piece 53-are both north poles, and the rockshaft 45- is caused to rotate --in the clockwise direction due to the. attraction of the south pole 55 by the v polepiece- 53 which is of the; opposite polarity.

An arm EB is-"secured'at one end to the armature 24-and its opposite-'end'terminates.atapoint above the rock shaft 45. Arock plate BI is secured to the rock shaft'45 by-mean's of a hub 62, and is provided with a bent-over lug 63- which is adapted to engagetheea-rm 60'. When the coils l8 and |9-are energized by a current of normal polarity, the lug-fi=3 will be clear of the arm 60-, thereby permitting operation of the armature 24. But when-the coils l8 and=l9-are energized by a current of reversect polarity, the rock plate 6-! is-oaused to: rotatefrom- -the position shown in Fig. 10410 the position shown in -Fig. 11 so that the lug-B3 engages the arm 60- and'the armature assemblyis locked in itsattracted position. Subsequentim-pulses of-reversed polarity will therefore have noefi-ect uponthearmature, and the ratchet wheel 34- willnotbe advanced by said impulses.

Journalled in plates Iii-and 22 is a shaft 65 which carries a gear 66 exteriorly of the plate [6. A pinion 8 is mounted on the shaft 35; and meshes with anidler gear- 68 which in turn is mounted on a-stubshaft-iii-secured to the plate Hi; The gear 66 meshes withthe idler gear- 63 so. that the shaft 65 is driven from the shaft 35; the gears being so proportioned that the shaft 65 normally rotatesat a speed-of one revolution per hour.

The operation of the armature locking means is additionally controlled by a time disk, indicated generally by reference numeral 10, which is mounted on the shaft 65. The time disk, as shown. in Fig. 8, comprises a. hub which is provided with an extension in the form of a sleeve 12. A disk 13 is secured to the sleeve 12. Plates l4 and :5, each in the form of a sector, are rotatably mounted on'the sleeve 12 at either sideof the disk 13. A washer 16 is positioned on the sleeve. 12 exteriorly of the plate 15, and the sleeve is upset as indicated at 11, to hold the assembly together. The hub H is provided with a-set-screw 18- extending therethrough so that the position of the disk 13 may be fixed with respect to. the shaft'65. The disk may be keyed to-the sleeve 12, or. otherwise associated therewith in non-rotatable relationship. The disk is providedwith three slots 80, BI and 82, which are disposed at 90 from each other. The disk is also providedwith a series of apertures83, which cooperate withstamped depressions '84 and formed intheplates. 14 and I5. It will be seen from an inspection-of'Figs- 3 through '7 that the position of the plates 14 and 15 may be shifted so as toblock-out one or more of the slots 80, 81 and 82. The depressions-84 and 85 cooperate with one or theother of the apertures 83 so that the plates will be maintained securely in their adjusted positions.

The plate 6| is provided with a bent-over-lug 86, which lug-isadapted-todrop into one ofthe slotslill, 8! or 82 as-thetime diskis rotatecLproviding that the coils I8- and I9 are actuated: by an impulse of reversed polarity. The purpose of the time disk is to prevent the operation of the armature locking mechanism which. comprises the rock plate BI and. the permanent magnet 48. except during certain positions of the time disk. These positions, of course, are determined by the times during which one ofrthe slotsBG; fl-i or 82 are opposite the lug; 86. V

The secondary mechanism-herein described is adaptedtobe connected into the corrective circuit of atime system such as that disclosed. in Patent-No.v 2,332,828issued. OctoberZS, 1943, to Lorenz et al. In that particular system a master clocktransmitsflan impulse every minute to: the secondarieswhich are connected in circuit therewith. At certain predetermined intervals, such asat-every hour, aseries-of rapid impulses ls'a-lso transmitted to the secondary. Th rapid impulses and several-of the minute-impulses immediately preceding them are of reversed polarity, and may be. termed, locking.im pulses,..inasmuch as they cause operation of the locking-pmechanism to lock the armature of a secondaryin operative position. The remaining minute impulses are 05 normal polarity, and maybetermed non-locking impulses. The pawl-and ratchetmechamsm, 33 and 34; cause the mechanism to be advancedv step by-step by eachlminute. impulse through a cycle of operationwhich correspondsv to the cycle of operation of. the master. clock. During each cycle, the secondary mechanism moves through a. locking position, that 15.3.. position in which one of the'sl0ts80, 8101 82: is op site the lug. 842?. As pointedout-above; thesecondary will be locked in this position'if a locking impulse is.-received at this time, and it will remain locked in this position and will not beadvanced until a non-locking impulse or an impulse of normal polarity 'isire= ceived by it.

When the secondary is on time, thatis when it is in phase-synchronism with the master clock;

the secondary will be locked only during the transmission of the rapid impulses, this is during the 59th minute inthe system above referred to.

If the secondary is slow, it will not be locked until it has been advanced by the rapid locking impulses to the 59th position, and then it will be locked in that position until the 60th impulse unlocks the armature. If the secondary is fast, it will be locked in the 59th position by one of the locking impulses which precedes the rapid impulses. In the system abov referred to, the 52nd through the 59th impulses are looking impulses, so the secondary will be corrected if it is not more than seven minutes fast.

The slots 8&1, 8| and'82 are so arranged that the cycle of operation of the secondary may be shifted with respect to the cycle of operation of the master clock. If the plates 14 and 15 are adjusted to cover the slot 81, and if the secondary is disconnected from the corrective circuit for half an hour, it will be seen that when the secondary is again connected into circuit it will be one-half hour slow. This one-half hour represents the non-productive period, or as it might be termed, the disconnected interval, the recording of which is not desired.

Before the disconnected interval, correction is effected during the 59th minute of each hour by the dropping of the lug 86 into the slot 8% as shown in Fig. 11. After the disconnected interval, the slot 82 will be opposite the lug 86 during the 59th minute of each hour, if the secondary is on time, and the secondary will be locked in the desired position (half an hour slow) during the transmission of the rapid impulses. Similarly, if the secondary is a few minutes fast or slow, correction will be effected with respect to the slot 82, as shown in Fig. 3.

But if the slot 82 were covered so that correction could be efiected only with respect to the slot 80, the armature 24 would not be locked during the 59th minute, and the secondary would be advanced by the rapid impulses, and the disconnected half hour would be picked up and re corded by the typ wheels. This is the reason why secondaries with only one corrective position, or only one slot or notch, must be connected into a non-corrective circuit after the disconnected interval.

The type wheels 39 comprise a blank wheel 90, a tenths of an hour wheel 9|, an hour wheel 92, and a ten hour wheel 93, this arrangement being adapted to operate for hours out of each 24. Of course, if it is desired to connect the recorder to the tim system for 8, 16 or 22 hours or any different period of time, the proper sized wheel may be substituted for wheels 92 and 93. The blank wheel 98 is secured to the shaft 3! and rotates with the gear 38 at the rate of ten revolutions per hour. The tenth of an hour wheel 9| is advanced one step by each revolution of the wheel 90 by the usual carry-over mechanism not shown herein, and the wheels 92 and 93 are advanced by their preceding wheels in a like manner. The blank wheel 90 i provided so that the printing position of the first printing wheel 9| of the series will not be affected by any variation in the relative position of the ratchet 34 and the pawl 33 during consecutive operations, nor by any tendency of the ratchet to creep when the armature 24 is in its attracted position.

In operation, the secondary mechanism, including the ratchet wheel 34 and its associated parts, are normally advanced step by step by the impulses transmitted by the master clock over the 6 corrective circuit, the armature being free to operate as shown in Fig. 10. The type wheels 39 will be advancedevery sixth minute to record the time elapsed since the beginning of the work day.

If, however, an uncovered slot in the time disk "If! is opposite the lug 86 during the transmission ofa locking impulse," the armature will be locked in its operated position as shown in Fig.11. This position of the secondary mechanism as a whole may be termed the chronologically synchronized position inasmuch as at the end of the 59th minute, the position of the secondary'is synchronized with that of the master clock, irrespective of the relationship of their positions when the armature 2 3 is first locked, provided that this relationship does not exceed the maximum fast or slow correction of the system and of the particular secondary. The armature is unlocked by the 60th impulse, which may be termed the synchronizing impulse, and the operating spring 58 causes the mechanism to be advanced one step.

As pointed out above, when the plates M and 75 of the time disk H! are adjusted to cover slot 8!, the secondary is caused to shift its chronologically synchronized position after a disconnec ted interval of half an hour from that shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 3.

If a disconnected period of forty-five minutes is desired, the plates may be adjusted to cover slot so; as. shown in Figs. 4 and 5. For instance, the chronologically synchronized position of the secondary at some time inthe. morning, say at 11:59, is shown in Fig. 4', and if the recorder is disconnected during a lunch period from 12:00 to 12:45, by 12:59 the time disk will have advanced only 90. This position is a chronologically synchronized position because, as shown in Fig. 5, the slot 3! is 90 behind slot 82.

If the plates 74 and l5 have been adjusted so that no slot is covered, the chronologically syn- V chronized position of the time disk at 12:59 P. M.

and at 7:59 P. M, as shown in Fig. 6,-is the same as that shown in Fig. 5, except for the changed position of the plates. The position of the plates as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 permits a second disconnected period of forty-five minutes, say a supper period for the second shift between 8:00 P. M. and 8:45 P. M. The chronologically synchronized position of the time disc after this second disconnected interval, say at 8:59 P. M., is shown in Fig. 7.

Obviously these disconnected intervals may bear any relation to the chronologically synchronized positions; that is they need not immediately follow them as above described.

At the end-0f the work day, the secondary should again be disconnected from the corrective system for a period of one-half hour or fifteen minutes, as the case may be, in order to shift the chronologically synchronized position back again to the slot as so that the secondary will again be in the correct position to start out a new day. As the time wheels accumulate only up to twenty hours, as herein disclosed, this disconnected interval should be lengthened sufiiciently so that the type Wheels will be in their 0 position at the beginning of the next day.

It is obvious that disconnected intervals, other than the thirty minute or forty-five minute intervals above mentioned, may be provided by forming the slots in different positions. For instance, disconnected intervals of twenty minutes or forty minutes can be provided by forming the slots BE], 8! and 82 at from each other. Similarly, intervals of thirty-five or fifty minutes may be; provided, itnot being. essentialithat the interval be a fraction of one hour, It may also be desired to have two or more slots in a group, spaced from each other bya distance representing five or ten minute intervals. In this event one plate may cover the whole group, and the plate may be shifted to selectively expose one or the other slots of the group. In the alternative, of course, a slot could be provided in one of the plates which would overlap a much wider slot in the-disk 13 inorder to permit adjustment of five'onten minutes one way or the other..

If. desired, one wall of the slot may be disposed attan angle to the other to permit a cammingoutxactionof'thelug 86 when the armature is manually operated, as described in the above mentioned, patent.

Although-only a preferred embodiment of this invention: has been described herein, it is obvious that numerous modifications and changesin the size, shape and proportion of the parts may be made Without departing from the spirit of this invention. The above description is illustrative only, and thissinvention is defined only by the appended claims- We claim:

1. A time disk for controlling the operation of a job time recorder comprising a hub member, a diskrsecured thereto, plates rotatably mounted on said hub on either side of said disk and held against the side surfaces of said disk, the periphery of said disk being'cut-away at a plurality of' points and saidplates being a width suflicient to cover one of said cut-away portions and having an outer edge matching the periphery of said disk whereby said plates may berotated with respect'to said disk to selectively cover'one or'the other of said cut-away portions;

2. A time disk for controlling the operation of ajob time recorder comprising a hub member, a disk secured thereto, plates rotatably mounted on said hub on either side of said disk and held against the side surfaces of said disk, the periphery of said diskbeingcut-awayat a plurality of points and said plates being adapted to cover one of said cut-away portion to form a continuous peripheral edge whereby saiclplates may be adjustedwith respect to said disk to selectively cover one or the other of, said cut-away portions, and means tomaintain said plates in adjusted position,

3. A time disk for controlling the operation of a job time recorder; comprising a hub member, a disk secured thereto, platesrotatably mounted 0 said hub on either side of said disk and hel against the side surfaces of said disk, the ps3 riphery' of said disk being cut away at a plurali-t of points and each of said plates'being a width sufiicient to cover one of said cutaway portions and having an outer edge matching the periphery of said disk whereby said plates may be rotated with respect to said disk to selectively cover-one or more of said cut-away portions, said disk being provided with a plurality of apertures and said plates being'providedwith:depressed portions adapted to fit into said apertures whereby said plates may be held in place overlying One or more of said cut-away portions.

ADOLPH L. DENNISTON. SAMUEL HAROLD MARTIN. 

